Letters to the Editor

Liberalism leading to socialism

Written by Neil A. Davis
Thursday, 11 February 2010 22:45

This is a response to Penny Fattig’s comments [in brackets] about my previous letter. Most research was taken from Wikipedia, which is not a be all and end all to fact checking, but sufficient to get my points across.

[Remember when the Republicans were in control six of the eight years of the Bush administration?]

No child gets an education and the prescription drug program? Socialism is socialism.

[The social ideas that spring up from the FDR administration included Social Security, disability unemployment compensation, Medicare, etc.] Let’s just forget that it’s all unconstitutional. Around 2017, revenue is projected to be insufficient to cover benefits. The system will begin to withdraw from the trust fund. The trust fund has been stolen (nothing but IOU’s). While the Treasury guarantees payments it makes to the trust fund, payments made to retirees have no guarantee at all.

The Supreme Court in Flemming vs. Nestor (1960) established that no one has any legal right to Social Security benefits. In July 2008 the Office of the Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration calculated an unfunded obligation of $13.6 trillion for the program. To make matters worse, unemployment has cut the revenue going into the system and “Baby Boomers” will soon increase payments from the system. What position might all the people (in this system) be in had they been able to invest in their own personal retirement accounts and disability insurance, rather than being raped by the government?

[Lets have a show of hands...How many of us or if someone we know have benefitted from these programs?] Ida May Fuller of Ludlow, VT, was the first person to receive a monthly payment. In 1937, 1938 and 1939 she paid a total of $24.75 into the Social Security System. She lived to be 100 and collected a total of $22,888.92. Sorry, I couldn’t resist that one.

[I thought it quite ironic that the totalitarianism letter...interestingly was published the same week as the article about the lady who received grants to repair her home from this government-I wonder if they forced her to take those grants.] The federal government borrowed (from our grandchildren), then forced states to take stimulus money for programs like this. When the federal funds run dry, states are left holding the bag and have to cut other areas of their budgets. Governor Heineman just called a session to do this.

[Under totalitarianism authority we would have state-controlled media only.] Two hours after reading Penny’s letter, I heard the president on the news saying “...just turn off the TV...”

[No, we do not have a totalitarianism government.] Never said we did. Our new Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor quoted Norman Thomas, presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. His most famous quote is, “The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of ‘liberalism’ they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.”

No totalitarianism here

Written by Penny Fattig, Gothenburg
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 22:42

Response to: “Is Totalitarianism Here?”

I believe we are a long way from totalitarianism. We have a choice by means of voting which party controls the branches of government. This is a virtue of democracy.

Remember when the Republicans were in control six of the eight years of the Bush administration?

The social ideas that spring up from the FDR administration included Social Security, disability unemployment compensation, Medicare, etc.

Let’s have a show of hands...How many of us or if someone we know have benefitted from these programs?

As I recall, there was the same partisan conflict surrounding the Medicare controversy when it was introduced by the Democrats.

I thought it quite ironic that the totalitarianism letter, which told how banks were forced to take bailout money, interestingly was published the same week as the article about the lady who received grants to repair her home from this government—I wonder if they forced her to take those grants.

We have many different media opinions. Under totalitarianism authority we would have state-controlled media only. Criticism of the media is freedom of speech and does not mean the restriction of free speech.

No, we do not have a totalitarianism government.

Is totalitarianism here?

Written by Neil A. Davis
Thursday, 21 January 2010 15:14

Totalitarianism, as described by “Wikipedia,” is a political system that strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life. Dominance is maintained through propaganda (state controlled media), a single ruling party, control of the economy, restriction of free speech (criticism), surveillance and use of terrorism. It seeks to mobilize entire populations in support of an official state ideology. Citizens have no significant share in decision-making.

While not being truly totalitarian, the systems present in Nazi Germany, Socialist Russia, Fascist Italy, and Communist China during the 20th century, were birds of a feather. Although none of these philosophies on the surface are intrinsically illegal, they end in evil. When taken to their conclusions, we saw man’s inherent desire to be free and his opposition to such controls. Those standing in the way, had to be eliminated. Mao Zedong murdered an estimated 49-78 million. Hitler disposed of 12 million, Stalin 23 million and Mussolini 300 thousand.

The Socialist Party of America was born in the early 1900’s and became a part of the Progressive Movement (linked with Teddy Roosevelt). Socialist ideas became more pronounced during the Wilson and FDR administrations. Again, in this country the philosophy itself is not illegal, but many of it’s programs when placed into law, violate the constitution. During the Fifties, communists were vilified by McCarthyism out of “Cold War fear.” That was probably wrong, but it happened because their ideology doesn’t fit into what the average citizen sees as the “American way.” Afterward, a drift began toward the Democratic Party and causes like environmentalism.

Now compare the first paragraph to what is happening today. Our lame stream media did not have to be coerced. They were a major force in getting Barack Obama elected. They present no substantive reporting about him or his party.

Democrats have control of all three branches of government. Banks were forced to take bail-out money in order to gain control over them. There is even a “pay czar” telling them how much their employees can earn. Car companies were taken over and stockholder assets were given to the unions. Now insurance companies are being targeted.

Obama tried to ostracize Fox News, whining that he had “...one television station that is entirely devoted to attacking my administration...”

Democrats continue to push through their destructive health and spending legislation, when it is clear that a majority of the citizenry oppose it. The new health care bill imposes a fine and prison sentence for not buying health insurance. States were unconstitutionally forced to take bailout money to gain federal influence.

While the president extols the virtues of Islam, our true religious heritage is being questioned. I grew up in a country that placed an aluminum cover on the capstone of the Washington Monument in DC. On the east side is inscribed the words laus deo (praise be to God). The idea being that every morning, it would be the first thing in our nation’s capitol to catch the sun’s rays.

Fighting underage drinking

Project Extra Mile thanks the law enforcement agencies that have demonstrated their commitment to protecting the health and safety of youth through continued efforts to enforce the underage drinking laws.

On Oct. 25, an 18-year-old Brady man lost his life in an automobile crash after attending a party in North Platte with other minors. Officials agreed not to prosecute anyone for minor in possession in order to make the critical determination of the source of the alcohol. Through their investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies cited four people for providing alcohol for minors in that case. They should be commended.

On Dec. 20, four 19-year-olds were arrested in Dawson County for minor in possession as well as one driving under the influence. In both situations blood alcohol content for at least one person was close to twice the legal limit for adults. There is no legal limit for minors.

In the October situation a young man lost his life. In the more recent Dawson County event a number of families were fortunate enough to have their young people home safely. Both of them needed to be prevented.

Adults continue to be the source of alcohol for our youth—both in social and retail settings. Holding those adults appropriately accountable is an effective approach to preventing underage drinking. In one case, we got lucky. In the other, the loss of young life will be felt for decades to come. As a society, we cannot afford to take the middle road when faced with the tragic yet preventable consequences of underage drinking.

Thank you to law enforcement for sticking to the job and always looking for where young people get alcohol. Our kids are always worth it.

Theatre, staff deserve applause

Written by Roxanne Whiting, Gothenburg
Saturday, 16 January 2010 17:00

The citizens of Gothenburg are extremely blessed to have a theater like the Sun Theater. I applaud Kerri Dudley and Jill Rubenthaler, the board and all of the volunteers for providing our community with an outstanding venue for entertainment.

Recently, the Sun has showed movies on the weekends that were released to theaters everywhere. In addition, movies have been shown that were only a week or two from being released in bigger theaters. This is truly a great accomplishment for a small theater in a small community.

As if this weren’t enough, the theater also held the first haunted house this past Halloween, which was a huge success.

I hope all of the citizens in Gothenburg will not only take an opportunity to support the Sun Theater, but also show appreciation for the amazing entertainment they provide our community.

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